Heliopsis plant named ‘Prairie Sunset’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Heliopsis helianthoides  ‘Prairie Sunset’ characterized by its purple-veined foliage, purple stems, and yellow ray flowers that emerge with distinct red coloration on the basal portion of the petals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHeliopsis helianthoides and will be referred to hereafter by itscultivar name, ‘Prairie Sunset’. ‘Prairie Sunset’ represents a new OxEye Sunflower, an herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.

The inventor discovered the new cultivar, ‘Prairie Sunset’, in acultivated field in Westfield, Wis. in the summer of 1994. The inventorcollects and sows seed of Heliopsis helianthoides for commercial seedproduction. ‘Prairie Sunset’ was discovered as a mutant seedling in acultivated production field. The new cultivar was selected fromseedlings produced by open-pollination of Heliopsis helianthoides. Nonamed cultivars of Heliopsis helianthoides were grown in the productionfield.

The combined characteristics of ‘Prairie Sunset’: its purple-veinedfoliage, sturdy purple stems, and yellow ray flowers with distinct redcoloration on the basal portion of the petals. These characteristicsmake this new cultivar unique and unlike any other known cultivars ofHeliopsis helianthoides known to the inventor. Although there arecultivars that exist with variation in flower color and form, nocultivars known to the inventor have ray flowers with red basalcoloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished bydivision in Westfield, Wis. in spring of 1995 by the inventor. Thecharacteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable andare reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Prairie Sunset’ from other varieties in commerce known tothe inventor.

1. Foliage is deep green with veins that have purple coloration.

2. Purple stems are sturdy and wind tolerant.

3. Yellow flowers have red coloration on the basal portion of the petalswhen they emerge. The red coloration fades to a red-orange afterapproximately ten days and then gradually fades to yellow as the flowercontinues to age.

4. Long blooming; blooming for up to 12 weeks in mid-summer and earlyfall.

5. Tolerant to a wide range of growing conditions, growing well in fullsun to light shade in dry to moist soils.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The plants and plant parts in the Figures depict a two-year old plantgrown from a root division of ‘Prairie Sunset’ in an outdoor trial bedin Westfield, Wis.

FIG. One shows the plant habit when in peak bloom.

FIG. Two shows a close-up of a flower and the purple stems of the newinvention.

FIG. Three is a close-up of the foliage and flowers as they mature. Theflower on the right has been open for 10 days and the center color hasfaded to a lighter red color. The flower on the left has been open for16 days and the center color has almost completely faded to that of therest of the petals. The vein coloration on the foliage can also beobserved in FIG. Two. The colors in the photographs are as close aspossible with conventional photography.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as grown ina trial bed for two years in Westfield, Wis. The phenotype of the newcultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, andcultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance withthe 1995 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

Botanical classification: ‘Prairie Sunset’ is a cultivar of Heliopsishelianthoides.

Commercial classification: Ox Eye Sunflower.

Parentage: Seedling from open pollination of Heliopsis helianthoides.

General description:

Blooming period.—About 12 weeks in mid-summer to early fall, betweenJuly and September.

Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial. Clump-forming, upright, loosely butfreely branched. Vigorous grower.

Height and spread.—Up to 0.6 m in width and up to 1.8 m in height.

Hardiness.—Zone 4-8.

Culture.—Tolerant to a wide range of growing conditions, growing well infull sun to light shade, in dry to moist soils.

Diseases and pests.—Heliopsis helianthoides is relatively disease free.No susceptibility or resistance to diseases or pests has been observedfor ‘Prairie Sunset’.

Root description.—Fibrous, fine and well-branched.

Growth and propagation:

Propagation.—Division, vegetative terminal and internode stem cuttings,and tissue culture.

Root initiation.—10 to 14 days at 70° F. air temp in summer.

Time required for root development.—8 weeks to fully develop in a 32cell in soil-less media when grown at 70-80° F. in a greenhouse withoutsupplemental lighting in summer.

Stem description:

Shape.—Round, solid.

Stem color.—New growth; 144B, 187A. Mature growth: intermediate between187A and 166A (more brown).

Stem size.—Approximately 5 mm in diameter with lateral branches 2 to 3mm in diameter.

Stem surface.—Mature stems are glabrous; stems of new growth have finewhite hairs.

Internode length.—5.0 to 9.0 cm in length.

Branching.—Loosely branched.

Foliage description:

Leaf shape.—Ovate.

Leaf division.—Simple.

Leaf base.—Cuneate.

Leaf apex.—Acute.

Leaf venation.—Tri-nerved, center vein on upper surface is agreyed-purple in color (184B) and typically extends two-thirds of thedistance from the base.

Leaf margins.—Serrate.

Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.

Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.

Leaf surface.—Upper; scabrous. Lower; very fine, short hairs.

Leaf color.—Immature: upper; 147A, lower; 147B. Mature: upper;Intermediate between 137A and 139A, lower; 138A.

Petiole size.—3 to 6 mm in length, 1.0 to 1.5 mm in width.

Petiole shape.—Rounded on lower surface and flat on upper surface.

Petiole color.—166A in color.

Flower description:

Type.—Capitulum: heterogamous with ray florets around the head marginand disk florets in the center, forming a radiant head. Single capitulumper terminal arising from leaf axils.

Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 30 days until senescence of rayflowers. Disk flowers are persistent.

Capitulum size.—About 1 cm in depth and 3.5 to 4.5 cm in diameter.

Fragrance.—None.

Involucral bracts or phyllary (often referred to as the calyx):

Bract number.—12-18 in 2 overlapping rows.

Calyx size.—8 to 10 mm in length and 3-4 mm in width. Fused at base.

Calyx color.—138B in color with 3 mm tips 137A.

Texture.—Pubescent.

Bract apex.—Acute.

Bract shape.—Oblong.

Buds.—Cup-shaped, up to 8 mm in diameter, phyllary are 138B in color,and the tips of the disk flowers are 183B just prior to opening.

Peduncle.—Flexible, 7 to 9 cm in length and about 2 mm in diameter, 187Ain color, texture is pubescent with very fine hairs.

Ray florets (gynoecium only):

Number.—8 to 14.

Shape.—Oblong with 2 recessed ribs running vertically.

Size.—1.1-1.8 mm in length and 0.7 to 1.1 mm in width.

Apex.—Retuse.

Base.—Attenuate.

Margins.—Entire.

Aspect.—Flat.

Texture.—Glabrous.

Color.—Upper; opens 15A mature to 7A, lower; opens 15B, matures to 7B.Basal red portion of ray flowers: Upper surface only, 46A forapproximately 10 days after opening, then fading to 47B forapproximately 4 days and continues to fade to 7A as the flower matures.The red coloration in the basal portion of the ray flowers extendsapproximately 5 mm from the point of attachment to the disk flowers.

Disk flowers: (Androcoecium and gynoecium).

Quantity of florets.—Numerous.

Shape.—Tubular.

Size.—About 7 mm in length and 1 mm in width.

Color.—Tip of petals are 15A tinged with 184A, lower (non-visibleportion is 138B).

Reproductive organs:

Gynoecium.—Pistil is 4 mm in length and 0.3 mm in width, style is 166Cin color, bifid stigma is 166A in color. Ovary is triangular in shape,inferior, single-celled, 4 mm in length and 2 mm in width, 71A in colorwith the top 1 mm 200A.

Androcoecium.—5 stamens, fused, 2 mm in length and 0.25 mm in width,166A in color, pollen is moderately abundant and 12A in color.

Fruit.—An achene, 4 mm in length and 1 mm in width, 200C in color.

Seeds.—Seeds are produced and appear to be fertile, however they are notcollected or characterized.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Heliopsis plant named‘Prairie Sunset’ substantially as herein illustrated and described.